:pastry studio

Oatmeal Vanilla Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwich

noreply@blogger.com (pastry studio) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:02:00 +0000

Who doesn’t love ice cream, cookies and chocolate sauce? A familiar dessert any time of the year, there are endless combinations and fascinations to try. What I love about making ice cream is you can really have fun with flavors and textures and in combination with your favorite cookie and topping, the sky’s the limit.

This particular ice cream “sandwich” was inspired by a delicious treat created in San Francisco in 1928 called, IT’S-IT - a very basic but invariably delicious composition of vanilla ice cream sandwiched between two oatmeal cookies and dipped in dark chocolate. Here I keep the presentation simple by just topping one cookie with ice cream and a double pour of bittersweet chocolate. The cookie is made from a basic Quaker Oats recipe. The ice cream is from David Lebovitz.

But be sure to have fun with your choice of flavors and textures. Some of my favorites are:

Oatmeal Cookie + Coffee Ice Cream + Dark Chocolate
Ginger Cookie + Caramel Ice Cream or Orange Sherbet + Dark Chocolate
Peanut Butter Cookie + Banana Caramel Ice Cream + Dark Chocolate or Rum Sauce
Chocolate Cookie + Mint Ice Cream + Dark Chocolate
Chocolate Cookie + Fennel Ice Cream + Fig Sauce
Chocolate Cookie + Oatmeal Ice Cream + balsamic syrup reduction

Anyway, you get the picture.

Bench notes:
- Choose a cookie that is soft and chewy so it’s easier to eat with a spoon.
- I use a large scoop (about 2 1/4" diameter) to portion the cookie dough, which yields about a dozen cookies. For a more polished presentation, I used a sturdy glass with a 3” diameter to press out uniform shapes once the cookies cooled.
- I doubled the salt in the cookie because I like the contrast with the rest of the components. You can also sprinkle a tiny bit of coarse salt on top of the chocolate before it hardens for a different salty effect.
- I’ve given the Quaker Oats instructions for the cookies, but I like to chill the cookie dough for several hours so the cookies hold their shape better when baking.
- My ice cream formulations tend to be leaner, using less sugar, less cream and fewer egg yolks. For this vanilla ice cream, I use 1/2 C sugar + 2 T sugar, 1 1/2 cups of milk, 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream and 4 egg yolks. The final product is not quite as rich and creamy as David’s but it’s still very delicious.
- For the hard chocolate shell, I use 1 oz of chocolate + 3/4 teaspoon oil per serving (coconut oil is ideal but canola oil works just fine). This forms a hard shell once poured onto the ice cream. If you prefer a more gooey effect, try a simple Chocolate Sauce.

Oatmeal Vanilla Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwich

Oatmeal Cookies
adapted from Quaker Oats
Makes about a dozen 3” cookies

7 oz (14 T) butter @ room temperature
3/4 C brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 C granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
1 1/2 C flour
1 t baking soda
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t salt
1/4 t ground nutmeg
3 C oats

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare two baking sheets with parchment or silpats.

Whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg and oats.

Beat butter and sugars until creamy. Add egg one at a time and mix until thoroughly blended. Add vanilla. Add the flour and oat mixture and mix just until blended.

Divide dough into about 12 portions, form into a ball and place 6 on each prepared baking sheet. Press down with your palm of your hand to flatten the tops slightly.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Vanilla Ice Cream
adapted from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz
Makes about 1 quart

1 C milk
pinch of salt
3/4 C sugar
1 vanilla bean
2 C heavy cream
5 large egg yolks
1 t pure vanilla extract

Heat milk, salt and sugar in a saucepan to a low simmer. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise with a paring knife, scrape the seeds into the milk and add bean pod. Remove from heat, cover and infuse for one hour.

Pour the cream into a medium bowl and set a strainer over the top.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks.
Reheat the milk until warm to the touch. Gradually pour some of the milk into the yolks, whisking constantly as you pour. Return the warmed yolks and milk back into the saucepan.

Cook over low heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pan with a heat-resistant spatula until the custard thickens enough to coat the spatula, leaving a clear track when you run your finger through it. Take off heat immediately and strain the custard into the heavy cream. Whisk the mixture to blend thoroughly and to cool. Add vanilla extract. Refrigerate to chill thoroughly, preferably overnight.

Remove the vanilla bean and freeze in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Pour into clean airtight container, press a piece of plastic into the surface, cover and place in your freezer to firm up.

Chocolate Shell Topping
Makes about 6 servings

6 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
1 T + 1 1/2 t canola oil

Set a metal bowl over a pan of slowly simmering water, making sure that the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water. Place the chopped chocolate in the bowl along with the canola oil. Whisk gently as it melts. Take off the heat and cool to lukewarm. Pour over ice cream. The chocolate will harden into a shell within a minute or so.

Apple Cider Sauce Cake

noreply@blogger.com (pastry studio) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 14:13:00 +0000

Winter arrived yesterday in the form of a nice downpour with more expected to follow. Time to bake some old fashioned comfort food, which at this time of year usually means apples and spice in the form of a spoon dessert.

This is one of those crazy self-saucing cakes that sort of defies logic. There’s a layer of fruit on the bottom, a layer of cake batter and then a layer of liquid poured on top. Somehow, this strange arrangement magically bakes into a cake with a nice sauce that simmers the fruit. Fairly odd, but just the thing to enhance a rainy day.

Brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg add to the warmth of the dish in each layer. And since I’m a fiend for oatmeal, I tossed just a smidgeon into the cake mix for more texture and taste. Apple cider that’s been simmered with more cinnamon and brown sugar gets poured over the whole thing. Just 30 minutes later you have a soothing warm dessert. And a kitchen full of the very best aromas of winter.

Bench notes:
- I used Gala apples, which aren’t very sweet. Fujis or Granny Smith would also be good. Adjust for sugar.
- If you’re not a fan of oatmeal, just delete it. I’d be tempted to add ground pecans.
- Have the cider, brown sugar and cinnamon ready in a saucepan. Once the cake batter is mixed, work quickly to heat the cider mixture, pour it on and get it in the oven.
- Use unsweetened apple cider.
- This is a great dessert all by itself but of course lends well to serving with ice cream or a dollop of fresh cream.

Apple Cider Sauce Cake
Serves 9 - 12

2 apples
1 t lemon juice
1 T sugar
pinch of cinnamon

1 C flour
3 T old fashioned oats
1 3/4 t baking powder
1/4 t baking soda
generous 1/4 t salt
3/4 t cinnamon
pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 C + 2 T dark brown sugar, packed
1/2 C milk
2 oz (4 T) butter, melted
1 t vanilla
1 egg

1 C apple cider
1/4 C dark brown sugar, packed
1/2 t cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease the sides of an 8” x 8” baking dish.

Peel and core apples. Cut into thin slices and place in a bowl. Toss with lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of sugar and a pinch of cinnamon. Set aside.

For the cake batter, whisk together the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar until completely combined.

In another bowl, whisk together the milk, melted butter, vanilla and egg until thoroughly blended. Using a fork, stir the flour mixture into the liquid until just incorporated and there are no dry streaks.

Toss the apples and spread them in an even layer in the prepared pan. Carefully spread the cake batter evenly on top of the apples, fully extending the batter to the edges and corners of the pan.

Combine cider, 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and bring it to a boil, stirring to dissolve. Remove from heat and pour over the cake batter. Do not stir or attempt to mix the liquid into the batter in any way.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Place the cake on a wire rack for just a few minutes to rest. Serve warm.

Chocolate Banana Upside Down Cake

noreply@blogger.com (pastry studio) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:52:00 +0000

If you’ve ever eaten bananas with chocolate - ah, yes, there's the old-fashioned Banana Split - you know they are the best of friends. And since I had a couple of bananas on my kitchen table calling out to me, I thought I’d pair them up with a simple chocolate cake. And to make matters more inviting, it also seemed like a good idea to slice and bake the bananas into the cake with a butter and brown sugar caramel.

The cake is made with cake flour for tenderness, cocoa powder for rich chocolate depth and a pinch of cinnamon for a slight taste of spice. It’s an oil-based cake with a good ratio of brown sugar so it will stay moist if you happen to have leftovers.

Needless to say, this cake satisfies a winter urge for chocolate and the gooey caramelized bananas are the crowning touch. If you're like me and hate to see good fruit ripen without a plan, put your bananas to work in this simple dessert.

Bench notes:
- It’s important to use cake flour, which has less protein than all-purpose flour and therefore produces less gluten for a lighter, more tender crumb. If you can’t locate cake flour, you can make your own: For 1 1/2 cups of cake flour, measure out 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour and remove 3 tablespoons. Add 3 tablespoons of cornstarch and sift several times to be sure it’s completely blended. (Cornstarch inhibits the formation of gluten.)
- The cocoa powder is "bloomed" in hot water to intensify and deepen the flavor. You can substitute hot coffee if you'd like.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for about 15 minutes and then turn it out. It should still be fairly warm so when you turn it upside down to remove it the topping doesn’t stick to the bottom. I place a platter on top of the pan, invert quickly and then while still holding the plate and cake pan, give them a firm tap on the counter top. Voila!
- I think this tastes even better the next day.
- For something a bit fancier, serve with a scoop of vanilla, cinnamon or caramel ice cream.

Chocolate Banana Upside Down Cake
Serves 12

2 oz (4 T) butter
1/4 C + 2 T dark brown sugar, packed
2 - 3 ripe bananas

1 1/2 C cake flour
3/4 t baking soda
3/4 t salt
3/4 t cinnamon
1/2 C + 2 T cocoa powder
1/2 C + 2 T hot water
1/3 C buttermilk @ room temperature
1 1/2 t vanilla extract
1/4 C + 2 T canola oil
3/4 C granulated sugar
3/4 C dark brown sugar, packed
2 eggs @ room temperature

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease the sides of a 9-inch square pan.

For the topping, melt the butter in a saucepan. Whisk in the brown sugar and cook for a minute until blended. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan and distribute it evenly across the entire bottom of the pan. Slice the bananas about 1/4” thick and arrange on top of the butter sugar mixture. Set aside.

Sift the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
Whisk together the cocoa powder and hot water until thoroughly blended and smooth.
Mix the buttermilk and vanilla extract.

Combine the oil, granulated sugar and brown sugar in a large bowl. The mixture will look like wet sand. Add the eggs and blend well. Whisk in the cocoa mixture. Stir in the dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk and beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix just until well blended. Pour into the prepared pan over the bananas and gently tap the bottom of the pan on the work surface a few times to remove any air bubbles.

Bake for about 33 - 35 minutes or until a toothpick tests with a few moist crumbs adhering. Cool 15 minutes. Run a thin bladed knife around the edges. Place a platter over the cake and invert. Cool completely.

Blueberry Slump

noreply@blogger.com (pastry studio) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 14:33:00 +0000

Here we are in the midst of winter and I’m dreaming about blueberries. So when I saw them at the market, I impulsively grabbed them for purchase. They’re not in season but I couldn’t resist. Blueberries just have their way.

With all the hubbub and festivity of the holidays behind us, it feels like a good time to get way back to the basics, so here I am with a Blueberry Slump. There are a lot of different old-fashioned recipes for fruit puddings and cakes that vary in the way the fruit and cake parts are co-mingled. A slump is somewhere in the same universe as a cobbler and a buckle, a sort of dumpling-cake-like pudding, which in the old days was steamed on top of the stove. This dessert is a happy combination of blueberries and bits of cake that get baked in the oven and emerge in a marbled swirl of light cake and juicy fruit.

The blueberries are simmered with some sugar just enough to coax out their inky jammy goodness. Then a good blast of lemon juice is added to keep the flavor bright. The cake is made with brown sugar and a jolt of cinnamon to make it all the more interesting. Once baked it really does seem to kind of all slump together, a welcome blueberry feast in January.

Bench notes:
- The sugar added to the blueberries is kept at a minimum to allow the fruit to shine. Add more sugar if you prefer a sweeter taste.
- I used cinnamon. I imagine other spices would work as well. I think cardamom would be great.
- The blueberry mixture, including juices, gets layered under and on top of batter. As it bakes, the cake rises and dances with the blueberries in an interesting way.
- You can make 4 large servings or 5 - 6 more modest servings. Watch baking time. Or bake in an 8" x 8" pan, which will take a bit longer. You'll know it's done when the fruit is bubbling and the cake springs back when lightly touched.
- This is really best served warm.
- I think this would be great with just about any sort of fruit. Adjust sugar and cornstarch accordingly, e.g., figs would probably not need any cornstarch and peaches might not need as much sugar.

Blueberry Slump
Serves 4 - 6

1/4 C sugar
1/4 C water
1 t cornstarch
12 oz blueberries (about 2 C)
1 T + 1 t lemon juice

1 C flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t cinnamon
heaping 1/4 t salt
1/2 C light brown sugar
2/3 C buttermilk
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 oz (4 T) butter, melted
1 t vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter 4 - 6 4 1/2” ramekins, depending on desired serving size. Place on a baking sheet.

For the blueberries, combine 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup water and cornstarch in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve. Add blueberries and simmer over medium low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 3 – 4 minutes or until the blueberries soften and release their juices. Take off the heat and add lemon juice. Set aside.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and light brown sugar.

In a separate bowl, whisk buttermilk, egg, melted butter and vanilla. Add flour mixture and whisk just until blended.

Scoop a heaping tablespoon of blueberries into the bottom of each ramekin.
Portion batter on top. Spoon remaining blueberry sauce over batter.

Bake for about 20 – 24 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Serve warm.

Apple Brown Betty

noreply@blogger.com (pastry studio) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 15:33:00 +0000

After a week of lots of amazing food at many different celebratory tables, this might be a good time to return to something not terribly rich or fussy. This Apple Brown Betty certainly fits the bill. Although it’s been around since colonial times, I’ve just discovered in the waning days of 2011 yet another way to enjoy the pleasures of fresh fruit prepared simply.

Bread makes a strong showing in the realm of desserts in the form of Apple Charlotte, bread pudding and summer pudding. Apple Brown Betty is a combination of simmered apples and toasted breadcrumbs. Not at all fancy but tremendously satisfying and easy to prepare. Some recipes call for baking the dish in the oven but I took the easy route. In this version, I toast the breadcrumbs with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon and simply sprinkle them on top of apples that have been sautéed with vanilla and a splash of lemon on the stove top. Just a few ingredients and a couple of quick steps and you have an enjoyable treat to share on a cozy evening.

I wish everyone a very, very Happy New Year. May we all have lots of delicious moments and morsels in 2012 and savor each and every one of them to the fullest.

Bench notes:
- I chose Fuji apples for this dessert.
- Use your favorite bread, such as pain de mie, whole wheat or levain. I used a baguette, including the crust.
- Add a small dash of rum or brandy to the apples for something a bit more festive.
- For more embellishment, serve with ice cream, a dollop of whipped cream or honeyed yogurt.
- You can make this ahead and reheat in a 350 degree oven for about 10 - 15 minutes.

Apple Brown Betty
Serves 6

5 slices of firm bread
2 oz (4 T ) butter
2 T dark brown sugar, packed
1/2 t cinnamon

5-6 apples
3 T butter
juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
1 vanilla bean
1/4 C sugar

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Tear bread into small pieces and place in the bowl of a food processor. Process briefly to make coarse bread crumbs. Pour into a bowl.

Line a baking sheet with parchment. Melt the butter and whisk in the brown sugar and cinnamon. Drizzle over breadcrumbs and toss quickly to coat. Spread out in one layer on baking sheet.

Toast the breadcrumbs in the oven, stirring occasionally and turning pans halfway through, until golden brown and crisp, about 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Peel, core and slice apples into 1/4" wedges. Melt butter in a large sauté pan. Split vanilla bean, scrape the seeds and add to butter along with the bean casing. Stir to distribute. Add apples, lemon juice and zest. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes. Remove vanilla bean. Add sugar and continue to cook and stir until the sugar dissolves. Taste for sweetness. Top with toasted breadcrumbs and serve warm.

Chocolate Phyllo Napoleons with Pear and Raspberries

noreply@blogger.com (pastry studio) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 14:04:00 +0000

As we busy ourselves preparing for upcoming holiday meals and festive parties in celebration with friends and family, perhaps among your platters there will be small morsels of phyllo dough hors d’oeuvres. And if you happen to have a few spare sheets of phyllo, Chocolate Napoleons are an easy and super delicious way to enjoy the remainder.

This is a riff on a dessert from Gale Gand featured in the grand Baking with Julia collection. It’s a crispy crunchy lighter-than-air dream of a pastry that has guests devouring every morsel faster than you can say, would you like some dessert? It’s one of my favorites because it’s a perfect combination of textures and flavors that combine seamlessly, one into another. The cocoa is not overwhelming, the pears and raspberries freshen the palate and the cream makes it feel like the purest of luxuries. It's nearly weightless and there is no feeling of over consumption once you’ve enjoyed every last bite.

To prepare the pastry, cocoa powder is added to melted butter to make a thin paste, which is then slathered on sheets of phyllo. Each sheet is sprinkled copiously with sugar that I’ve combined with cardamom. The phyllo is baked flat and then broken randomly into crisp, crunchy shards of pastry. Using phyllo instead of the usual puff pastry creates thinner, crispier, lighter layers that snap into tastes of only slightly sweet chocolate.

It took me much longer to think about composing this than it actually takes to make it. Once you have the phyllo baked off, the dessert is assembled in just a few seconds. Poached pears are layered with billows of whipped cream scented with almond extract and the whole dish is garnished with a few slightly sauced tart raspberries. And in no time at all, it will be blissfully enjoyed by all.

I send everyone my very best wishes for a really wonderful holiday. May your days be merry and bright. Cheers!!

Bench notes:
- A few tips for working with phyllo: 1) Phyllo is usually found in the frozen food section of your market. Let it thaw at least 24 hours in your refrigerator without opening the package. (Trying to hurry the thawing process @ room temperature will result in phyllo that has too much moisture. Also, if you try to work with it when it’s too cold, it will crack.) Thawed phyllo in the package will keep in your refrigerator a few days. 2) Always have all your ingredients ready before you remove the phyllo from the packaging. Set up your work station so your phyllo and butter are in close proximity. 3) Remove the phyllo from the packaging and unfold it on a clean dry towel. Cover it immediately with another clean dry towel so that the entire surface is covered. (Although some suggest a moist towel, I find that only tends to render the phyllo sort of gummy.) The sheets are very thin and they will dry out and become brittle very, very quickly if they make contact with air for just a couple of minutes. So cover them completely after you remove each sheet. Keep your hands dry. 3) Don’t worry if a sheet tears. Just patch it with the piece that broke off. It doesn’t matter much because the sheets get layered. 4) Unused phyllo should be rewrapped tightly in the same protective packaging ASAP and refrigerated immediately. It will keep for a couple of days. Some people say it can be tightly packaged and re-frozen but I haven’t tried it.
- Gale Gand’s version of this dessert looks delicious and includes layers of chocolate ganache and simmered cranberries instead of raspberries. I omitted the ganache because I wanted the dessert to be lighter and I thought it would overpower the fruit. I couldn’t find fresh cranberries so I used raspberries. I think they make a perfect substitution. I also cut the butter in half. (She doesn’t appear to use it all in the making of her version.) For a step-by-step demonstration of how Gale Gand prepares her dessert, watch the video. Her original recipe is also included there.
- If you have a standard 13" x 18" half-sheet baking pan, you can simply make one large 3 layer pastry rather than cutting the phyllo in half and making two separate 3 layer pastries. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of sugar on each layer.
- Once the chocolate phyllo is baked let it cool completely before handling. It will darken and firm up once it’s cool. Carefully peel off the parchment and handle it very gently.
- In general, I never suggest canned fruit but if you’re crunched for time or if you don’t have access to fresh and you can find a good can of pears go ahead and substitute that for the fresh. Be sure to drain the pears on paper towels before assembling the dessert.

Chocolate Phyllo Napoleons with Pear and Raspberries
based on a recipe by Gale Gand in Baking with Julia by Dorie Greenspan
Serves 4

2 small firm but ripe pears
2 1/2 C water
1 C sugar
1 t fresh lemon juice
1/4 vanilla bean, split and seeded

2 oz (4 T) butter
2 T cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-processed
1/4 C sugar
1/2 t cardamom
3 sheets of phyllo, 13” x 17”

1 6 oz packet of fresh raspberries
2 t sugar
1 C whipping cream
1 T sugar
1/4 t almond extract, to taste

confectioner’s sugar, for dusting

To poach the pears, bring the water, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla bean to a low simmer. Peel the pears. Slice in half and core them. Place in the poaching liquid as you go. Cut out a piece of parchment to fit the surface of the poaching liquid and place it on top to seal in the steam. Simmer for about 10 - 15 minutes until tender. Remove from heat and cool completely.

Using a slotted spoon, remove the pear halves from the poaching liquid and place on paper towels to absorb any excess liquid. Take a paring knife, slice into quarters and cut 1/4” vertical slices into each piece from blossom to stem end, stopping about 1/2 inch from the top so that the slices remain connected. Set aside.

Melt the butter and whisk in the cocoa to make a thin paste. Set aside. Combine sugar and cardamom together and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place two more sheets of parchment and another baking sheet nearby.

Open the phyllo package and place the sheets on a clean dry towel. Cover the entire surface of the phyllo immediately with another clean dry towel. Remove 3 sheets of phyllo and cut in half crosswise to create six 8 1/2” x 13” rectangles. Return them back under the dry towel and keep them covered.

Place one of the half pieces of phyllo on the parchment-lined baking sheet, brush it with cocoa butter mixture and sprinkle with 1/2 tablespoon of the cardamom sugar mixture. Cover with another sheet of phyllo, brush with cocoa-butter, and sprinkle with 1/2 tablespoon sugar. Repeat with one more phyllo sheet and sprinkle the last phyllo sheet with 1/2 tablespoon sugar. Cover the stack with a piece of parchment paper and repeat this process - stacking, brushing, and sprinkling with the remaining 3 sheets of phyllo and sugar. Cover with parchment paper and top with a baking sheet to weight the phyllo and keep it from puffing.

Bake the phyllo for 10 to 15 minutes, until the sheets are golden and crispy. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack, remove top baking sheet and cool completely. Once cooled, carefully remove the parchment and separate the two consolidated stacks of pastry. Gently break each sheet into 6 pieces for a total of 12 pieces to allow 3 phyllo shards for each napoleon.

Place half the raspberries in a small bowl and sprinkle them with 2 teaspoons of sugar. Macerate for about 20 minutes, then press through a strainer to remove the seeds. Toss this sauce with the remaining fresh whole raspberries. Set aside.

Whip the cream, sugar and almond extract just to a very soft peak.

To assemble the napoleons, place a small dab of whipped cream in the center of each of four dessert plates. Rest a shard of cocoa phyllo on the cream and press it down gently to anchor it. Top with a spoonful of whipped cream. Fan the slices of pear and place them on top of the cream. Add another small dollop of cream. Repeat with phyllo, cream, pear and more cream, topping with a third piece of phyllo. Dust each top piece of phyllo with confectioner’s sugar. Garnish with raspberries. Serve immediately.

Pfeffernüsse Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (pastry studio) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 15:49:00 +0000

For me, the holiday season hasn’t really begun unless and until I reach into my cupboard for several jars of spice. Whether it’s pumpkin pie, gingerbread or cookies, the kitchen isn’t really firing on all cylinders until it’s full of the aromas and flavors of the sweetness of cinnamon, the brightness of nutmeg, the complexity of allspice, the magic of cardamom or the depth of cloves.

Most countries have a long tradition of preparing some sort of spice cookie for the holidays. Some of my favorites are Lebkuchen (Germany), Cuccidati (Italy), Pepparkakor (Sweden) and Basler Brunsli (Switzerland). I’m sure your family has its own must-haves each year.

One cookie I haven’t tried is the Pfeffernüsse from Germany. Translated as “pepper nuts,” these include freshly ground pepper for a more complex spicy sensation. There’s also molasses for the delicious richness so typical of the season.

This recipe is from Williams Sonoma. The cookies are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside and are a perfect representation of the holiday spirit. I hope you are well on your way to preparing your cookie platters to the delight of family, friends and neighbors.

Bench notes:
- There are of course lots of different versions of this cookie. Some are finished with lemon glaze rather than confectioner’s sugar, which sounds intriguing.
- I used a #40 ice cream scoop to portion these cookies. It speeds up the process and creates uniform cookies. You can make smaller cookies for a higher yield and bake them 10 – 12 minutes.
- This is always a perfect time of year to check your inventory of spices to make sure they’re fresh. I like to buy in small quantities from my local bulk store.
- If you're like me, you may want to increase the spices if you like more depth. I doubled the cinnamon and used heaping amounts of allspice and nutmeg.

Pfeffernüsse Cookies
adapted from Williams Sonoma Holiday Baking by Jeanne Thiel Kelley
Makes 28 2” cookies

2 1/4 C flour
1/2 t salt
1/2 t ground black pepper
1/2 t crushed anise seed
1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 t baking soda
1/4 t allspice
1/4 t nutmeg
1/8 t cloves
4 oz (1 stick) butter @ room temperature
3/4 C light brown sugar, firmly packed
1/4 C molasses
1 egg @ room temperature
2 C confectioners' sugar, for dusting (I used much less)

Sift together the flour, salt, pepper and spices.
Beat the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in the molasses.
Add the egg and combine thoroughly. Scrape down the bowl.
Lower the speed and add the flour mixture. Beat just until the dough is nearly combined. Remove from the mixer and finish mixing the dough using a rubber spatula. Place the dough onto a piece of plastic and shape into a disc. Wrap tightly and refrigerate until the dough firms up.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two baking sheets with parchment or silpats. Portion dough into balls 1 1/2” in diameter. Place cookie sheets about 2” apart.

Bake until the cookies are golden brown on the bottom and firm to the touch, about 13 - 15 minutes. Cool slightly on a wire rack. Dust or roll the cookies in confectioner’s sugar.

Olive Oil Cake with Candied Orange

noreply@blogger.com (pastry studio) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 15:18:00 +0000

There is a long tradition of semolina cakes in the Middle East and the Mediterranean that benefit from a dousing of syrup usually made from honey. There are varying ingredients and shapes and flavors that have endured through history but all are celebrations of culture and sharing. And though there are many wonderful variations, this particular Olive Oil Cake with Candied Orange is so deliciously constructed, it rises to the top of most other cakes I’ve had in this genre.

The cake is enriched with olive oil and yogurt and lightly scented with cardamom and orange zest. There’s just a bit of interesting texture provided by semolina. But it’s the crowning touch of oranges that get candied in a sensational aromatic cardamom orange syrup that really sets it apart. It’s festive and beautiful and full of wonderful flavor that only the happy combination of all these great ingredients can provide.

Next time you're in search of a delicious dessert to share with friends and family, try this splendid cake. It's certainly befitting as the grand finale to any delicious feast where adventure is the centerpiece.

Bench notes:
- For the candied orange and syrup, I used 1 orange but only made half the syrup, which I thought was plenty. But you may want to make the whole recipe if you want to really soak the cake. Leftover syrup can also be used as a topping for ice cream or a sweetener for tea or a cocktail. Store the syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator. [half syrup recipe: 1/2 C sugar, 1 1/2 C water, 1/4 C + 2 T honey, 1 1/2 T cardamom pods.]
- I didn't have any trouble inverting the cake but you may want to either leave the cake on the bottom of the springform pan or be extra careful if you soak the cake with the full recipe of syrup.
- Semolina is available at better supermarkets, Italian markets or in bulk food groceries.
- Use a very sharp knife to cut the oranges into thin slices.
- The syrup and candied orange slices can be made a day ahead. Pour the syrup into an airtight container and place in the refrigerator. Store orange slices separately. Warm the syrup just a bit before using.
- Choose a good olive oil for the cake. I used a delicious Arbequina extra virgin olive oil from California Olive Ranch.
- The cake has only 1/2 cup of sugar in it because the syrup sweetens and moistens it.
- For better ease of serving after presentation, set some of the candied oranges on the cake aside so you can slice it. Garnish each plate with some of the orange slices.
- If you like the combination of orange and cardamom, also try the Orange Cardamom Cake.

Olive Oil Cake with Candied Orange
adapted from Bon Appétit magazine
Makes 12 servings

Candied orange and syrup
1 C sugar
3 C water
3/4 C orange blossom honey
3 T green cardamom pods, crushed
1 small orange, thinly sliced

Cake
1 C flour
1/2 C semolina
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t baking soda
1/2 t kosher salt
1 t ground cardamom
3 eggs, separated
1/2 C olive oil
1/2 C sugar, divided
2/3 C plain yogurt
1 1/2 t grated orange zest
1 t vanilla
Chopped unsalted pistachios, for garnish

For the candied orange and syrup, line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat. Cut the orange into thin slices. Bring sugar, water, honey and cardamom pods to a boil until sugar dissolves. Add orange slices. Reduce heat to medium low. Simmer, turning orange slices occasionally, until they are tender and the syrup is reduced to 3 1/4 cups. This will take about 30 - 40 minutes. Arrange orange slices in a single layer on prepared baking sheet. Strain syrup. Set aside.

For the cake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush a 9" springform pan lightly with oil. Line the bottom with parchment paper.

Whisk together flour, semolina, baking powder, baking soda, salt and ground cardamom. Separate the eggs.

Beat the 1/2 cup oil and 1/4 cup sugar for 1 minute. Add the yolks and combine thoroughly. Add flour mixture and beat until blended. Beat in yogurt, zest and vanilla. Set aside.

Using a clean dry whisk attachment, beat egg whites in another bowl until opaque and soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until firm peak stage. Gently fold egg whites into cake batter in 2 additions. Transfer to prepared pan and smooth the top.

Bake cake until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes.

Place the cake pan on a wire rack. Pierce hot cake with a toothpick. Slowly drizzle 3/4 cup warm syrup over the top of the cake. When syrup is absorbed, slowly pour 3/4 cup more syrup over. [I skipped the second application of syrup.] Reserve remaining syrup for serving.

Cool completely. Run a thin knife around edge of pan to release cake. Remove pan sides. Carefully invert cake onto a plate and remove parchment paper. Invert again onto a serving platter so it’s right side up. Arrange candied orange slices over the top. Garnish with pistachios. Serve drizzled with more syrup, if desired.

Brown Sugar Brown Butter Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (pastry studio) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 15:45:00 +0000

If you’re a fan of the rich nutty flavor of brown butter and also a fan of the caramel notes that come from using brown sugar, chances are you’ll enjoy this super tender cookie that features the subtle deliciousness of both.

There’s nothing terribly fancy or complex about these cookies but they are somehow pretty irresistible. Pecans are finely ground with the flour to enhance the nuttiness of the brown butter. The brown sugar adds its distinctive flavor while the granulated sugar preserves the crispy texture. The egg yolks provide a large measure of tenderness. Vanilla adds to the flavor profile and salt gives the cookie a distinct edge.

So there you have it - a crispy, crumbly, buttery, not-too-sweet shortbread cookie to share with cookie lovers, especially during this season of appreciation and giving.

Bench notes:
- Toast pecans in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes.
- If you don’t have a vanilla bean, add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to the butter after it has browned.
- For a good illustration of how to brown butter, see the guidance at Simply Recipes. Use a stainless steel pan so you can watch the butter carefully as it can take just a moment to burn. Once you begin to detect a nutty aroma, it’s just about ready. I lift the pan off the heat and swirl for more control if I think it’s browning too fast or nearly done. It will continue to brown once you take it off the heat. Pour immediately into a heatproof bowl to stop the cooking.
- I used a #40 ice cream scoop to portion these cookies. It speeds up the process and creates uniform cookies. (The #40 refers to 40 scoops per quart.)
- One test for doneness for cookies is to gently nudge one with your fingertip. If the cookie slides easily, they are done. If you feel a lot of resistance, bake for another minute or so. Once removed from the oven, most cookies will need to firm up for a minute or two before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.

Brown Sugar Brown Butter Cookies
Makes 2 dozen 2" cookies

8 oz (2 sticks; 16 T) butter
1/2 vanilla bean or 1 t vanilla extract
2 C flour
1/2 C pecans, toasted
1/2 t salt
1/4 C + 2 T dark brown sugar
1/4 C + 2 T granulated sugar
2 egg yolks

Cut the butter into small pieces and melt in a saucepan over medium-low heat. If using a 1/2 piece of vanilla bean, cut it lengthwise, scrape out the seeds and add it to the butter along with the casing. Swirl the butter carefully as the foam subsides, the mixture begins to brown and the flecks on bottom of pan turn golden. Lift off the heat periodically to check on the browning and to avoid burning. The browning only takes about 5 – 6 minutes. Pour into a clean container and set aside to cool. If you didn’t use a vanilla bean, add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract at this time.

Place the flour and pecans in the bowl of a food processor and process until the nuts are finely ground. Add the salt and sugars to the flour mixture and pulse to blend. Remove the vanilla been casing from the browned butter and add. Pulse just a few times to begin to combine. Add yolks and pulse until the dough starts to clump around the center of the machine.

Pour the dough onto a piece of plastic. Press into a disc and wrap tightly. Place in the refrigerator for about an hour to allow the flour to soak up the butter and the dough to firm up.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or silpats. Shape dough into balls about 1 1/4” in diameter. Place 12 on each baking sheet and press down gently to flatten just a bit so cookies measure about 2” in diameter.

Bake for about 15 – 18 minutes until slightly brown and firm to the touch, rotating pans from top to bottom and front to back about half-way through the baking. Cool on a wire rack.

Plum Sorbet

noreply@blogger.com (pastry studio) — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 18:44:00 +0000

The end of plum season has sadly arrived, so I'm thinking of this as Last Chance Plum Sorbet. It’s an icy cold concoction of tart and sweet and a burst of bright color.

Sorbets are usually a fast and easy way to celebrate the pure flavor of fruit and this recipe from Emily Luchetti is no exception. The plums go into a handy food processor to become fruit purée. Put it through a strainer, add sugar, water, salt and lemon juice and off it goes into the refrigerator to chill. Give it a churn in your ice cream maker and there you have it. Last Chance Plum Sorbet.

Bench notes:
- Choose plums that are ripe but still fairly firm.
- If you decide to add more sugar, go easy or the sorbet won’t freeze properly and it will be very slushy.
- Add a tiny note of good quality kirsch if you’d like.

Plum Sorbet
adapted from A Passion for Ice Cream by Emily Luchetti

2 lbs (about 8) ripe plums
1/2 C sugar, to taste
1/4 C water
large pinch of kosher salt
1 t fresh lemon juice

Halve the plums, remove the pits and cut into 1/2” pieces.

Purée the plums in a food processor until smooth. Strain through a medium-mesh sieve into a bowl. There will be about 2 3/4 cups purée.

Whisk in the sugar, water, salt and lemon juice. Taste for sweetness and add a little more sugar if it tastes too tart. Chill thoroughly.

Churn in your ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Pour into a clean container, press a piece of plastic into the surface, cover and freeze for about 4 hours or until the sorbet can be scooped.

Pumpkin Pie Pecan Squares

noreply@blogger.com (pastry studio) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 16:04:00 +0000

As we head full speed ahead into what will surely be a season of busy kitchens bustling with inspired cooking and baking of all kinds, this recipe is blissfully simple. Not quite a full-blown pie, these squares are a super delicious pastry for those of us who can’t bear to wait for that dose of traditional Thanksgiving dessert coming in a few short days. So this is a sort of sneak peek of pumpkin enjoyment right now. I think you’ll be thrilled you didn’t have to wait.

To be sure, all the familiar elements are here - lots of spice and a lovely crust. But there’s also the additional benefit of chewy oat goodness added to a pastry dough that is pressed into the pan rather than rolled. The orange zest in the pecan topping adds a little burst of fresh citrus flavor. The pecan topping really adds a lot of flavor without being overly sweet.

Easy to throw together in the midst of a full schedule, this test run for the holidays is an irresistible treat of creamy soft pumpkin custard and buttery brown sugar caramelized pecans, the best of both holiday pie worlds. You will likely be extremely tempted to eat more than your fair share. Let's get this party started!

Bench notes:
- Yes, you can smuggle some rum or brandy into the whipped cream. ‘Tis the season!
- You could make the pastry base in a mixer but it’s much more fun to just mix it with your hands.
- The pumpkin filling has to bake for 20 minutes to set up a bit before adding the pecan streusel to prevent it from sinking to the bottom.
- The squares will continue to firm up as they cool. Store leftovers in a covered contained in the refrigerator.
- This recipe makes 12 servings. It can be doubled and baked in a 9" x 13” pan. You won't be able to lift it out of the pan easily so just cut into squares and remove by sections.

Pumpkin Pie Pecan Squares
Makes 1 dozen squares

Pastry

1/2 C flour
1/4 C oats
1/4 C brown sugar, packed
1/8 t salt
2 oz (4 T) butter

Pumpkin Filling

8 oz (1 C) canned pumpkin
1/2 C whole milk
1/4 C heavy cream
1 egg
1/4 C + 2 T sugar
1/4 t salt
1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 t ground ginger
1/8 t cloves
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 t vanilla

Pecan Streusel

1/4 C chopped toasted pecans
1/4 C brown sugar, packed
1 T butter
zest of half an orange

1/2 C heavy cream (optional)
1 1/2 t sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare an 8” square pan and line with parchment with a few inches overhang on two sides.

Combine the flour, oats, brown sugar and salt in a bowl. Cut the butter into small pieces and work into the dry ingredients. The mixture should look like moist streusel. Press into the prepared pan in an even layer. Bake for 13 minutes. Remove from the oven.

Whisk together pumpkin filling ingredients and pour into the baked crust. Bake for 20 minutes.

While the pumpkin filling is baking, prepare the streusel by combining the pecans, brown sugar and orange zest. Cut the butter into small pieces and work it into the nut mixture until it's moist and crumbly.

When the pumpkin filling has baked for the initial 20 minutes, sprinkle the streusel evenly over the surface. Return to the oven and bake an additional 15 - 20 minutes until filling is set. Cool completely. Remove from pan and cut into 12 squares. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream, if desired.

Caramel-Glazed Cardamom Palmiers

noreply@blogger.com (pastry studio) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 12:51:00 +0000

When you work in a French pastry kitchen, puff pastry is the centerpiece of production. It takes a long time to prepare and due to the amount of butter involved, is quite dependent on temperature conditions. It's used for a range of classic French pastries, from tart bases to Chaussons aux Pommes, Napoleons and Palmiers, a small cookie-like pastry in the shape of a palm leaf. Puff pastry is always baked off to a deep golden brown to ensure its flakiness and full flavor. For Palmiers, a rectangle of pastry is rolled up from each side toward the middle to form a palm shape. Sugar is layered into the folds to create a caramelized look and taste.

This recipe for Palmiers from the incomparable Alice Medrich substitutes a very easy butter and cream cheese pastry for the laborious puff pastry. She then introduces cardamom to the sugar that is sprinkled throughout. This subtle but unmistakable embellishment makes for a super delicious variation on a theme. The utter simplicity of Palmiers is turned into a very different experience just by the haunting touch of spice. My advice would be to make sure you’re not alone when these come out of the oven. The aroma, the beautiful caramelization, the crunchy, crispy, chewy tenderness will have you unabashedly reaching for another slice.

These cookies would make a supreme partner at an afternoon break for refreshment, an elegant gift for a good friend or a lovely addition to your holiday cookie platter - or a cookie platter for any season for that matter.

**A special note of appreciation to Victoria, a long-standing East Coast reader of my blog who recently inspired me with a very gracious gift. Thank you very much for your thoughtful generosity!!**

Bench notes:
- This dough is pretty easy to work with. Although it sounds like a bit of work to prepare these, it really is quite simple once you get the idea of how to roll up the dough.
- Sugar is used generously to prevent sticking as you roll out the dough and to ensure that the cookies will caramelize properly. I also use a bench scraper to gently loosen any dough that appears to be sticking.
- Every oven has its own personality. Should the cookies brown at different rates, remove the darker ones and let the lighter ones continue to bake.
- I sliced mine a bit too wide and they took twice as long to bake.
- While the recipe calls for an ungreased cookie sheet, I used a silpat.
- The cookies will keep in an airtight container for at least a week.

Caramel-Glazed Cardamom Palmiers
adapted from Pure Dessert by Alice Medrich
Makes about 48 cookies

2 1/2 C flour
2 T sugar
1/4 t salt
8 oz (2 sticks) cold butter
8 oz cold cream cheese

For the cardamom sugar:
1 C sugar
1 t ground cardamom
2 large pinches salt

Place the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to combine the ingredients.

Cut each stick of butter into eight pieces. Cut the cream cheese into pieces. Add the butter to the flour mixture and pulse until the mixture resembles very coarse bread crumbs. Add the cream cheese pieces and pulse until the dough begins to clump together, about 30 seconds. Pour the dough out onto a work surface and gather it gently. Divide it in half and flatten into 2 squares. Wrap and chill until firm.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it soften for about 15 to 20 minutes.

Mix the sugar with the cardamom. Transfer 2 tablespoons of the sugar mixture to a small cup and mix in the salt. Set aside. Divide the remaining cardamom sugar in half. You’re going to use each half of the sugar for each dough packet.

To begin forming one packet of dough, sprinkle the work surface generously with cardamom sugar. Set the dough on the sugared surface and sprinkle it with more sugar. Roll out the dough, generously sugaring the work surface and the dough and lifting the dough to be sure it isn’t sticking. The desired shape is a rectangle 24” x 8” and about 1/8” thick. Trim the rectangle to form clean edges.

Mark the center of the long side of the dough with a small indentation.
Starting at one short edge, fold about 2 1/2” of the dough almost one-third of the distance to the center mark. Do not stretch or pull the dough. Continue to loosely fold the dough toward the center three times, leaving a scant 1/4” space at the center mark. Repeat with the other end, folding it in the same fashion toward the center three times, leaving the 1/4” space at the center. The dough should now resemble a narrow open book. Fold one side of the dough over the other side, as if you are closing the book. You should have an eight-layer strip of dough about 2 1/2” wide and 8” long.

Sprinkle the remaining cardamom sugar under and on top of the dough. Roll gently from one end of the dough to the other to compress the layers together and lengthen the strip to about 9”. Wrap the dough loosely in parchment or waxed paper (plastic wrap will cause moisture to form on the outside of the sugared dough). Place in the refrigerator to chill. Repeat this process for the second dough packet. Chill the formed dough for at least 30 minutes.

Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

When the oven is ready, remove one packet of dough from the refrigerator. Trim the ends of the roll and cut into 1/3” slices. Place them on an ungreased baking sheet about 1 1/2” apart.

Bake until the bottom of the cookies are golden brown, about 8 - 10 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back about halfway through baking. Remove the pans from the oven and gently turn the cookies over. Sprinkle each cookie generously with the reserved salted cardamom sugar mixture. Return the cookies to the oven and bake until they are a deep golden brown, another 3 - 5 minutes. Rotate the pans and watch the cookies closely at this stage of the baking to prevent burning.

Transfer the cookies to rack and cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Gingerbread Shortcake with Pears

noreply@blogger.com (pastry studio) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 12:00:00 +0000

Fall is definitely in the air. It’s time to turn the corner and begin to focus on the flavors and spices of the new season. The weather will bring a crisp chill, the leaves will rustle and soon we’ll be turning back the clock. The moment has arrived for apples and pears, quince, lots of spice and chocolate.

This is a scone/shortcake recipe from Cindy Mushet that is reminiscent of a light gingerbread. It has a different texture but features the same sort of warm mixture of spices and a small dose of heady molasses. The food processor does all the work, so there is minimal handling and then a quick 14 minute bake in the oven.

I serve them here with pears and whipped cream but they’d also be really fabulous with some apples sautéed in a bit of butter, sugar and a pinch of cinnamon. The aromas and flavors are perfect for this time of year.

Bench notes:
- Unless you really love cloves, I recommend reducing the amount of ground cloves, which can really overpower other spices. The recipe calls for 1/2 t and I’d probably reduce by half from 1/2 t to 1/4 t and also increase the cinnamon to 1 3/4 t. Maybe add a little pinch of nutmeg.
- Once the dough is mixed in the food processor, handle it very little to ensure tenderness. Gather it together on your work surface and gently press it to form a cohesive circle, making sure the edges of the circle are firm.
- I used Bartlett pears. D'Anjou would also be nice.
- For a richer dessert, Cindy Mushet includes a recipe in her book for Cider Sabayon made with Calvados to use in place of whipped cream.
- These shortcakes would probably be great with sautéed bananas or a plum compote.
- It's very easy to over whip heavy cream. As it begins to thicken, stop every few seconds and check for a very soft peak.
- Dress up the whipped cream with a little splash of brandy or rum.
- Serve these as breakfast or brunch scones with a delicious pumpkin or apple butter, pear or raspberry jam.
- Shortcakes and scones should be eaten the same day.

Gingerbread Shortcake with Pears
adapted from The Art and Soul of Baking by Sur La Table with Cindy Mushet
Makes 8 shortcakes

Poached Pears

3 ripe but firm pears
2 1/2 C water
1 C sugar
1 t fresh lemon juice
1/4 vanilla bean, split and seeded

Gingerbread Shortcakes

2 C flour
2 1/2 t ground ginger
1 1/2 t ground cinnamon [I recommend 1 3/4 t]
1/2 t ground cloves [I recommend 1/4 t]
1/3 C brown sugar, firmly packed
1 3/4 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
4 oz (1 stick) cold butter, cut into 1/2” cubes
1/2 C + 2 T (5 oz) cold buttermilk
2 T molasses

1 egg, lightly beaten
2 t water
3 T turbinado or Hawaiian washed raw sugar

1 C cold heavy cream
2 t sugar, to taste
1/2 t vanilla

To poach the pears, bring the water, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla bean to a low simmer. Peel and core the pears. Cut them into 1/4" slices, placing in the poaching liquid as you go. Simmer for about 10 - 15 minutes until tender. Remove from heat and cool completely.

For the shortcakes, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat.

Place the flour, spices, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in the bowl of a food processor and process for 10 seconds to blend. Add the cold butter pieces and pulse about 5 times or until the butter is cut into smaller pieces. Combine the buttermilk with the molasses, add and pulse just until the dough starts to hold together in large, thick clumps. The mixture will look a bit like dark lumpy cottage cheese. Pour the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Gather the dough and gently pat together into a circle about 7” in diameter and about 1” thick. Cut the dough into 8 equal wedges and transfer to the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2” apart.

Beat the egg with 2 teaspoons of water. Brush the tops of the shortcakes with a thin coating of the egg wash (you will not use all of it). Sprinkle generously with turbinado or raw sugar and press it gently to secure.

Bake for 14 to 15 minutes, until firm to the touch and golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack.

Whip the cream, sugar and vanilla just until very soft peaks form.

Gently slice the shortcakes in half with a serrated knife. Place a dollop of cream on the bottom half and layer some pears. Drizzle with the poaching liquid and top with the other shortcake half. Serve immediately.

Chocolate Biscotti

noreply@blogger.com (pastry studio) — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 15:05:00 +0000

I seem to be on a biscotti jag lately. I love the crisp crunchy dry texture that begs for a good cup of steaming hot coffee or cappuccino. I love their rustic nature and the fact that most recipes have a lower sugar content and very little to no butter. And secured in an airtight container, they will last for quite a long time. Biscotti also make great gifts on any occasion.

This recipe comes from David Lebovitz, a pastry chef who’s earned everyone’s good trust with several terrific cookbooks over the years. These biscotti have a delicious depth of flavor from the use of good quality cocoa powder. That flavor is deepened with the addition of chocolate chips or chopped chocolate. The texture is also beautifully enhanced with chocolate’s soul mate, toasted almonds.

Although I didn’t take the extra step, David says he sometimes smears one side of the baked biscotti with melted dark chocolate. That, of course, would take these cookies into the realm of chocolate nirvana.

Bench notes:
- Since there’s a lot of cocoa powder in this recipe, use a good quality one, either natural or Dutch process.
- The dough may seem like it won’t hold together. Just gently press it into shape and it bakes off beautifully. I form the logs directly on the prepared baking sheet rather than trying to pick them up and transfer them from another surface.
- Use a sawing motion with a good serrated knife to slice the biscotti after the first baking. This will help prevent breakage.
- If you want your biscotti extra-crisp, turn each one over half-way through the second baking.
- Biscotti aficionados would also enjoy Classic Biscotti from Chez Panisse and Tish Boyle’s Triple Ginger Pecan Biscotti.

Chocolate Biscotti
adapted from David Lebovitz
Makes about 50 cookies

2 C flour
3/4 C cocoa powder
1 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
3 eggs @ room temperature
1 C sugar
1 t vanilla
1/2 t almond extract
1 C almonds, toasted and coarsely-chopped
3/4 C chocolate chips [I used chopped bittersweet chocolate]

For the glaze
1 egg
2 T coarse or raw sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silpat.

Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.

In a separate bowl, beat together the 3 eggs, sugar, vanilla and almond extracts. Gradually stir in the dry ingredients. Add the nuts and chocolate chips until the dough holds together.

Divide the dough in half. Place on the prepared baking sheet and form each half into a log about 14” long and about 2” apart from each other. Gently flatten the tops of the logs.

Beat the remaining egg and brush it on top of the logs (you won’t use it all). Sprinkle with coarse or raw sugar and bake for about 25 minutes or until the dough feels firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and cool 15 minutes.

Place each cooled biscotti log on a cutting board. Using a serrated bread knife, slice 1/2” cookies on a diagonal. Lay the cookies cut side down on baking sheets. Return to the oven for 20 - 30 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway though baking, until the cookies feel mostly firm.

Cool the cookies completely. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Wine Roasted Pears

noreply@blogger.com (pastry studio) — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 14:39:00 +0000

This is a very light and super easy dessert that doesn’t require much forethought or lots of bowls and mixers. And since pears are coming into full blossom, it’s a great way to showcase their gorgeous simplicity.

These pears are roasted in a white wine baste sweetened with honey and sugar. You can serve the pears with a simple dollop of Crème Chantilly (a fancy term for whipped cream sweetened with sugar and flavored with a bit of vanilla), sweetened crème fraiche, vanilla ice cream or a slice of your favorite cheese. Very simple yet extremely satisfying fare.

Bench notes:
- Choose pears that are ripe but fairly firm. These are Bartletts.
- I used Viognier wine but a nice Sauvignon Blanc would be great.
- Use a baking dish just big enough for the fruit so that the wine syrup isn’t too shallow, which may cause it to reduce too much. Check the pears every few minutes toward the end of roasting to ensure the liquid hasn’t evaporated at the edges and started to burn. If you notice it’s reducing too much, add a bit of water and keep your eye on it.
- For an herbal backnote, add a sprig of thyme or rosemary after the syrup has been reduced and steep for about 15 minutes. Remove the herbs, pour the syrup over the pears and roast.
- This will serve 3 whole pears or 6 pear halves or any combination thereof.
- Try this with a fresh goat cheese or Humboldt Fog is delicious, as is Alta la tur, Robiola Bosina, Cana de Cabra, bloomy rind Cravanzina, salty blue Valdeon, Roquefort or any creamy blue.

Wine Roasted Pears
Serves 3 - 6

2 C white wine, such as Viognier or Sauvignon Blanc
1 C water
2 1/2 T honey
1/4 C sugar

3 ripe but firm pears

Combine the white wine, water, honey and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Keep at a low boil until reduced by half, about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Peel, halve and core the pears. Arrange them cut side down in a baking dish small enough to just fit the pear halves. Pour the wine syrup over the pears and roast until tender, about 40 minutes, basting and turning the pears occasionally. Keep a close eye on them the last 15 minutes or so to be sure the syrup isn’t reducing too quickly. Add a splash of water if necessary.

Serve warm with desired garnish of whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, crème fraiche or a slice of your favorite cheese.

Plum Almond Streusel Tart

noreply@blogger.com (pastry studio) — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 13:21:00 +0000

Plums signal the end of stone fruit for the spring and summer seasons. We have definitely arrived at the brink of fall as our thoughts turn to bundling up against the wind and preparing heartier food for our tables.

I love plums for their tart juiciness and their bright sensational color. They are wonderful in pies, tarts, galettes, compotes, ice cream and sorbet. They pair well with creams and custards and enjoy a garnish of nuts and spice.

For this plum pastry, I start with an almond pastry dough formed into a tart shell and pre-baked. The plums are sliced into chunky bites and combined with a bit of sugar and flour. The tart is then crowned with a simple brown sugar cinnamon streusel loaded with almonds to create a nutty flavor and textural contrast with the fruit. It’s a very simple and straightforward dessert, perfect for this time of year. Time to bundle up with some delicious plums!

Bench notes:
- Choose ripe plums that are firm to the touch.
- You can make the streusel ahead of time and store in an airtight container in your refrigerator.
- When rolling dough that has been chilled, let it sit for a few minutes to warm up a bit. As you begin to roll it out, if it’s cracking, it’s still too cold. Wait a couple more minutes and try again. The dough should still be cool but roll out smoothly without resistance.
-If you have a bench scraper, now is a good time to use it. As you roll out the dough, use a light smattering of flour as you gently lift the dough after each roll to prevent sticking. If you feel the slightest resistance, use your scraper to gently release the dough and apply more flour. Rotate the dough to ensure evenness. Try to work fairly quickly to avoid warming the butter. When the dough is rolled out to the desired shape and size, use a pastry brush to remove excess flour.
- Be careful not to stretch the dough when lining the tart shell. That will cause shrinkage. If the dough cracks or tears while you’re handling it, just use any leftover scraps to press into the crack to patch it up.
- If you don’t care to roll out the tart dough, try pressing it into the tart pan right after mixing. Just be sure the dough is evenly distributed and pressed to the same thickness throughout.
- Once the tart shell is formed in the tart pan, place it in the refrigerator until thoroughly chilled before baking.
- This tart is nice served with a dollop of fresh whipped cream or sweetened crème fraiche.

Plum Almond Streusel Tart
Serves 10

Almond Tart Dough

1/3 C almonds
1/3 C confectioner’s sugar
1 1/4 C flour
1/4 t salt
3 1/2 oz (7 T) cold butter, cut into 1/2” pieces
1 egg
1/4 t vanilla

Almond Streusel

1/2 C + 2 T flour
1/4 C brown sugar, firmly packed
1 T granulated sugar
1/8 t salt
1/4 t – 1/2 t cinnamon, to taste
2 oz (1/2 stick) cold butter, cut into 1/2” pieces
1/2 C + 2 T sliced almonds

6 – 8 medium sized black plums
1/4 C sugar
1 T flour

To make the tart dough, place the almonds, confectioner’s sugar, flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor and process until the almonds are finely ground. Add the 1/2” pieces of butter and pulse the ingredients just few times until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Add the egg and the vanilla and process just a few seconds to blend. As soon as the mixture starts to come together in clumps, stop. Do not overmix.

Gather the dough and place on a piece of plastic wrap. Form a compact flattened disc, wrap tightly and chill for at least 2 hours.

When you’re ready to roll out the dough, remove from the refrigerator and place on a lightly floured piece of parchment paper or work surface. Let it rest for 3 – 4 minutes so it can soften just a bit to prevent cracking. Lightly dust the surface of the dough with flour and roll out to a round shape about 12” in diameter, large enough to line a 9” tart pan with a removable bottom. Keep the work surface and dough lightly floured as needed and gently lift and move the dough after each roll. When you have the desired shape, brush off any excess flour, lift the dough into the pan and shape it to fit closely into all the contours of the pan. Trim any excess. Chill for about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prick the bottom of the tart shell several times with the tines of a fork.

Bake the tart shell for about 18 to 23 minutes or just until it has taken on a bit of color. Check halfway through the baking and prick the bottom once again if needed. Transfer to a rack to cool.

For the streusel, combine the flour, sugars, salt and cinnamon. Add the cold butter and work it in with your fingers until all the ingredients are moist. Add the sliced almonds and combine the mixture until there are both small and large crumbles. The streusel should be chunky rather than fine to add texture. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Cut the plums in half and remove pits. Coarsely chop the plums into bite-sized pieces and place in a bowl. Combine the sugar and flour and toss with the plums to coat evenly. Pour into the pre-baked tart shell and distribute evenly. Sprinkle with streusel.

Place the tart on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silpat. Bake for about 35 minutes or until the fruit is bubbling and the streusel has browned. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack.

Triple Ginger Pecan Biscotti

noreply@blogger.com (pastry studio) — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 13:08:00 +0000

If you love the bright spicy heat of ginger, you'll definitely enjoy these biscotti. They are light, full of crunchy texture and deliver on the delicious flavor of ginger in three forms: fresh, ground and crystallized. This recipe comes from Tish Boyle, author of the tremendously fun and delicious cookbooks, The Good Cookie and The Cake Book. Be sure to visit her beautiful blog.

Biscotti are incredibly easy to make. It's just a short mixing of some basic ingredients, shaping the dough into logs and slipping them into the oven. Once they are baked, they are set aside to cool for 10 minutes and the oven temperature gets lowered. The logs are then sliced and go back into the oven for a final toasting and crisping.

The aroma of these baking will fill your kitchen with desire. The results are wonderfully fresh biscotti to keep you company at your morning and afternoon refreshments.

Bench notes:
- The dough is very, very sticky, so lightly flour your hands when shaping the logs.
- Next time I make these, I think I'll toast the pecans for a richer nut flavor.
- Use a microplaner to grate the fresh ginger.
- Biscotti keep quite a long time when stored in an airtight container.
- If you love biscotti, be sure to try Classic Italian Biscotti.

Triple Ginger Pecan Biscotti
adapted from The Good Cookie by Tish Boyle

1 3/4 C flour
1 t baking powder
3/4 t ground ginger
1/4 t salt
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 oz (5 T) butter @ room temperature
1 C sugar
2 eggs
1 T peeled and finely grated fresh ginger
1 t vanilla
1/3 C crystallized ginger
1 C pecans

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silpats.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, ground ginger, salt and black pepper. Set aside.

Chop the crystallized ginger into small bite-size pieces. Coarsely chop the pecans. Set aside.

Beat the butter and sugar together at medium speed until well blended, about 1 minute. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the bowl. Mix in the grated ginger root and vanilla extract. Add flour mixture at low speed, mixing just until blended. Add the crystallized ginger and pecans and mix until just combined. The dough will be quite sticky.

Scrape the dough out onto a floured work surface and gather it into a disc. Divide the dough in two and place each piece onto the prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle the surface with more flour and shape each piece into a 12-inch log. Flatten the logs slightly until they are 2" - 2 1/2" wide. (The logs will spread as they bake.)

Bake for 35 minutes, switching and rotating the pans about half-way through, until the logs just start to brown lightly. Set the baking sheets on a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees.

Gently loosen the baked logs from the parchment paper or silpat and transfer them to a cutting surface.

Using a serrated knife, cut the logs on the diagonal into 1/2-inch slices. Arrange them cut side down on parchment or silpat lined baking sheets. Bake an additional 18 - 22 minutes, switching and rotating the pans about half-way through, until the biscotti are dry and just begin to color around the edges. Transfer cookies to wire racks and cool completely.

Café Beaujolais Coffee Cake

noreply@blogger.com (pastry studio) — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 12:03:00 +0000

Many years ago, if you found yourself wandering the mesmerizing landscape along the Mendocino Coast high among the cliffs and gorgeous waves, you’d probably run into a cozy little restaurant called Café Beaujolais. With a stunningly expansive coastline that seems to go on forever, Mendocino is most certainly a place to go to rest and be comforted. That version of Café Beaujolais is gone now but some of its recipes are still with us.

One of the things that made Café Beaujolais a destination was their coffee cake. As coffee cakes go, this one is as soothing as Mendocino itself. It's got a great texture with moist and spicy crumbs, lots of crumbs. It’s the kind of coffee cake that has you pressing your fingers against your plate until every last morsel is gone, chased down with your final sip of very strong piping hot coffee.

As you can see from the very brief instructions, this is a very easy pastry to prepare. File it away in case you have a spontaneous need or desire for a quick surprise for brunch or a meeting where you’d like to lend a touch of warmth and friendship.

Bench notes:
- The finished cake is only about 1” tall, so the servings are fairly modest. I haven’t tried baking it in a smaller pan for a taller cake.
- The recipe calls for corn oil, which I think is an artifact of the times. I used canola oil.
- This is a delicious cake. My personal preference is another recipe from Margaret Fox, which I posted as the Mendocino Coffee Cake. I love that streusel with its combination of espresso powder, cinnamon, cocoa and walnuts.

Cafe Beaujolais' Buttermilk-Cinnamon Coffeecake
adapted from Margaret Fox in the Los Angeles Times
Makes about 10 - 12 servings

2 1/4 C flour
1 C brown sugar, packed
3/4 C sugar
2 t cinnamon, divided
1/2 t salt
1/4 t ground ginger
3/4 C oil
1 C sliced almonds
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1 egg
1 C buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare a 9" x 13" baking pan with butter.

Stir together the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, salt and ginger. Add oil and gently mix in. Remove 3/4 cup of the mixture to another bowl and combine with almonds and remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon to form a streusel. Set aside.

To remaining flour mixture, add baking powder, baking soda, egg and buttermilk. Blend until smooth. Pour into the prepared baking pan. Sprinkle reserved nut streusel evenly over surface of batter, pressing gently into the surface just a bit. Bake for about 35 to 40 minutes or until cake tests done. Place pan on wire rack to cool.

Cinnamon Toast Ice Cream

noreply@blogger.com (pastry studio) — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 12:42:00 +0000

One of my first encounters with the world of cinnamon was making cinnamon toast as a kid. I would toast a slice of bread, swipe a bit of butter and then sprinkle with sugar heavily dosed with cinnamon. I think it’s where I first learned to appreciate the unmistakable allure of this spice. Even so, when I first saw this recipe for Cinnamon Toast Ice Cream from Gourmet magazine, I thought it sounded kind of strange. Cinnamon toast cubes in ice cream? How would that work? To satisfy my curiosity, I decided to make a batch.

To begin this adventure, the recipe calls for steeping a cinnamon stick in some hot milk. The next step is to douse some bread cubes in a mixture of melted butter, brown sugar and cinnamon and then toast them in the oven. The smell of that alone is enough to keep you going. Some of that toasted bread is then infused in the cinnamon milk for a few minutes. From there, you strain the milk and make a custard, chill the base, then freeze in your ice cream maker and fold in the toasted cinnamon bread cubes. Done!

Somehow the toasted bread oddly maintains its crunch despite being submerged in a luxurious cinnamon ice cream. Strange, I know, but the result is this very fascinating ice cream that really does replicate the flavor sensation of cinnamon toast. It’s a wonderful dose of cinnamon and totally reminiscent of my infatuation with this spice that began early in my life. So if you’re a cinnamon toast fan and would like to enjoy some ice cream that is off the beaten track, give it a go!!

Bench notes:
- The original recipe recommends white sandwich bread but I think even using your favorite bread, such as pain de mie, whole wheat or levain, would be just as delicious, perhaps more so. I used a baguette, including the crust.
- When soaking the bread crumbs in the milk mixture, keep your eye on the clock. Ten minutes is plenty or you risk having very soggy bread that can be pressed out but you are likely to wind up with less liquid.
- I use Vietnamese cinnamon. I love its sweet aromatic intensity. I buy it at my local bulk grocery but you can also find it online.
- Salt is an important element in most pastries and desserts. It enhances the flavor considerably, especially in dairy and chocolate.
- I took a few of the toasted bread cubes and made them into crumbles for extra garnish.
- The ice cream is very rich. I might reduce to 4 eggs next time. And perhaps reduce the granulated sugar by 2 T since the 2 T brown sugar used for the bread cubes is plenty sweet.

Cinnamon Toast Ice Cream
adapted from Gourmet magazine
Makes about 1 quart

2 C whole milk
2 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks
5 slices firm white sandwich bread (or your favorite substitute)
2 oz (1/2 stick) butter
2 T packed light brown sugar
1/2 t cinnamon
6 egg yolks
1/2 C granulated sugar
1/4 t molasses
pinch of salt
1 C heavy cream

Bring milk and cinnamon sticks to a slow boil. Remove from heat, cover and let steep for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Cut 3 slices bread into 1/4" cubes and place in a bowl. Chop remaining 2 slices and pulse in a food processor to make bread crumbs. Place those in another bowl.

Line two cookie sheets with parchment. Melt the butter and whisk in the brown sugar and cinnamon. Drizzle 3 tablespoons butter mixture over bread cubes and toss quickly to coat. Spread in 1 layer on a cookie sheet. Add remaining butter mixture to the bread crumbs and stir to evenly coat. Spread crumbs evenly on another cookie sheet.

Place the bread cubes and crumbs in the oven to toast, stirring occasionally and turning pans halfway through, until golden brown and crisp, about 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack, then transfer bread crumbs to a bowl.

Return milk to a boil, then pour over breadcrumbs and let stand 10 minutes. Strain milk through a fine-mesh sieve into a saucepan, pressing hard on solids. Discard bread crumbs.

Whisk together yolks, sugar, molasses, and a pinch of salt. Return milk mixture to a low boil and pour into yolk mixture in a slow stream, whisking constantly until thoroughly combined. Return to saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened, coats the back of the spoon and leaves a clean track when you run your finger across it. Do not let the mixture boil.

Remove from heat, immediately stir in cream and pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean container. Taste and adjust for salt, if needed. Let the mixture cool completely. Cover and refrigerate until completely chilled.

Freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to instructions. Then fold bread cubes into ice cream and transfer to an airtight container. Press a piece of plastic into the surface, cover and place in your freezer to firm up.

The ice cream will keep but the toast is crunchiest the first 2 days after it's made.

Peaches 'n Cream Puffs

noreply@blogger.com (pastry studio) — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 14:21:00 +0000

Peach season is rapidly heading for a finish, so it’s definitely the time to enjoy every last bite. This is a simple cream puff recipe made more fun by layering in some luscious peaches and drizzling with a thin caramel syrup that’s been nicely spiked with a pinch of cinnamon. Just a little dressing up of the cream puffs you may have coveted as you passed by the windows of your local bakery.

Cream puffs are made from a classic pastry dough, pâte à choux. This is the same dough that forms the base for profiteroles, which are filled with ice cream rather than whipped cream, and éclair, oblong shapes filled with pastry cream. Once these are piped and in the oven, I always anticipate the experience of opening the oven door and finding the thick dense dough transformed into all these light beautiful billowy puffs. In some cultures the dough is fried to create churros and one type of beignets.

For this dessert, I bathe the peaches in a light mixture of honey and lemon to flavor and keep them from browning. The cream is whipped with either a dash of vanilla or a nip of brandy or rum. Once the puffs are baked, this dessert is very quick to assemble and even quicker to devour.

Enjoy these last waning days of summer while you can. Celebrate the end of another gorgeous season with a platter of these elegant little gems.

Bench notes:
- Pâte à choux is not difficult to make. It just requires that you try not to hurry the process. What makes it all work are a few simple techniques: 1) Once you add the flour to the simmering water and butter, make sure you stir constantly and cook the dough for a couple of minutes so there is a steam rising and a film appears on the bottom of the pan. This cooks out the taste of the flour. 2) Take the dough off the heat and beat it in a mixer on medium speed or with a wooden spoon until there is no longer any trace of steam rising. This helps to dry out the dough in preparation for incorporating the eggs. 3) Add the eggs 1 at a time and mix thoroughly before adding the next. The dough will look lumpy at first but will smooth out beautifully. Scrape down the bowl after each addition. 4) The pâte à choux is ready when it is smooth and shiny and falls from a spoon in gloppy sheets. 5) Always use an egg wash to ensure even, pretty browning. 6) The test for baked pâte à choux is when the pastry feels very light and sounds hollow when tapped.
- I use a serrated knife to slice the cream puffs.
- Baked pâte à choux are best eaten the same day but you can also freeze them in an airtight container. Thaw and crisp in a 350 degree oven for about 8 – 10 minutes.
- As always with caramel, give it your undivided attention. It will turn on you in a second! Try to take it to a medium dark amber color to avoid it being too sweet. Take it off the heat the moment it just begins to reach the right color, swirl the pan very gently until it darkens a bit more from the residual heat. Then quickly set the pan down and add the hot water to stop the cooking. And remember, whenever you add an ingredient to hot caramel, it’s going to bubble and splatter viciously. Just stand back and let it unwind. Adding a hot liquid helps to cut down on the reaction. Adding cold ingredients to hot caramel will likely cause it to seize on you. To fix a seized caramel, place it on low heat and whisk gently until dissolved, being careful not to splash any on your hands.
- You will probably have leftover caramel syrup, which will keep stored in a glass container at room temperature for a couple of weeks. Spoon it over your favorite ice cream.

Peaches 'n Cream Puffs
Makes about 1 dozen small profiteroles; serves 6

Cream Puffs
1/2 C water
2 oz (1/2 stick) butter, cut into small pieces
1/8 t salt
1/2 C flour
2 eggs

egg wash:
1 egg
2 t water
tiny pinch of salt

Cinnamon Caramel Syrup
1 C sugar
1/4 C water + 1/2 C very hot water
1/4 t cinnamon
1/2 t vanilla
1 t fresh lemon juice
salt, to taste

Peaches
4 medium or 3 large ripe peaches
2 T mild honey
1 T water
1/2 t fresh lemon juice, to taste

Whipped Cream
3/4 C heavy cream
2 t sugar
1/2 t vanilla (or brandy or rum)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Bring the water, butter and salt to a boil. Reduce heat and add flour all at once. Cook and stir the mixture with a wooden spoon until it’s smooth, pulls away from the sides of pan and leaves a noticeable film on the bottom of the pan. This will take a couple of minutes.

Pour the mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer and beat with a paddle for a few minutes until there is no longer any steam rising from the dough. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the bowl. The dough will go from looking lumpy to very smooth. Continue to add the second egg and beat until you have the same results. While the dough is mixing, prepare the egg wash by whisking the egg, water and just a few grains of salt.

Line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment. Place the pâte à choux into a pastry bag fitted with 1/2" plain tip. Pipe a dozen 1 1/2" mounds. Wet your index finger with cold water and smooth the tops of each piece of piped dough. Brush each piece lightly with egg wash.

Bake until golden brown and puffed, about 22 to 24 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely.

For the caramel, place 1/4 C water and 1 C sugar in a saucepan on medium high heat. Cook the sugar mixture just until it begins to turn a medium dark amber color. Watch it closely. Once the sugar starts to color it accelerates very quickly and will darken to a burnt and bitter stage very fast. If it's not coloring evenly, gently swirl the pan just a bit to circulate the darker areas. As it begins to approach the right color, take it off the heat and swirl the pan gently. Keep it off the heat and let it continue to darken a bit more. It will have a slight reddish cast. Once it looks like the right color, set the pan down, stand back and add the 1/2 C of hot water. It will bubble up vigorously and splatter, so be careful. When it settles down, return it to the medium heat and let it come to a boil to dissolve any seized bits of caramel, stir carefully without splashing. Remove from heat and pour into a bowl. Stir in the vanilla, cinnamon and lemon juice. Let it cool several minutes and then add salt to taste. Set aside to cool completely.

For the peaches, place the honey and water in a saucepan and warm over low heat until dissolved and blended. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice to taste. Cool. Slice about half the peaches and cut the remaining into a small dice. Toss all the peaches with the syrup to coat each piece. Set aside.

When ready to assemble, whip the heavy cream with the sugar and vanilla (or the brandy or rum) until it holds a very soft peak.

Slice the puffs in half. Dollop some whipped cream on the bottom half. Top with diced peaches. Place the other half of the puff on top and drizzle with Cinnamon Caramel. Add some sliced peaches to garnish the plate. Serve immediately.

Yeasted Apricot Almond Tart

noreply@blogger.com (pastry studio) — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 13:14:00 +0000

As we begin our shift into fall, I somehow managed to score some end-of-the-season apricots last week and have baked them into this yeasted tart. It makes for a great brunch offering or afternoon cake with exactly the right amount of yeast, butter, vanilla, sugar, salt and of course blessed fruit. As the weeks go by, you can substitute the last of the peaches, plums or pears.

If you fear working with yeast, this may be the recipe for you. The dough comes together very quickly and without any scary temperature testing or guessing. Just combine all the ingredients and about 3 minutes later you’re done. Give it two hours to rise, layer some fruit, garnish and give it another 30 minutes rest. Bake it and there you have it: a deliciously fresh little tart that will leave you ever so grateful for the wonders of yeast.

Bench notes:
- This dough is very wet and sticky. If you have a pastry scraper, use it to scrape the dough into the prepared pan. Or a rubber spatula will work just fine.
- Adjust the sugar you sprinkle on top of the tart according to the fruit you use. Tart fruit like plums will require more, about 1/4 cup.
- When yeast dough is set aside to rise, set a timer. One sign of over-proofing is when you press the dough down after the first rising, the gases discharged will have a strong smell of alcohol.

Yeasted Apricot Almond Tart
adapted with some modification from Ripe for Dessert by David Lebovitz
Serves 8

3 T whole milk
2 t dry yeast (not instant)
1/4 C sugar
2 eggs @ room temperature
1 1/2 t vanilla
1 1/2 C flour
3/4 t salt
3 oz butter @ room temperature and cut into 1/2” pieces
8 to 10 apricots, pitted and cut into quarters
3 – 4 T sugar
1/4 C sliced almonds

Generously butter a 9 1/2” springform pan.

Stir together the milk and the yeast in a mixer bowl and then combine with 1/4 cup sugar, eggs and vanilla. Add the flour and salt and mix with the paddle for one minute. Add the room temperature butter and continue beating for another minute. Gather the dough and place in the prepared pan. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm space to rise for 2 hours.

Dampen your hands a bit and gently press down on the dough. Spread it out to cover the bottom of the pan evenly. Arrange the fruit slices in a decorative way over the dough, leaving a 1/2” border all around the edges. Press the fruit down firmly. Sprinkle sugar over the entire surface and let the tart stand for 30 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Bake the tart for about 35 minutes or until the tart is lightly browned the center feels slightly firm to the touch. Cool on a wire rack and remove from pan.

Roasted Grapes with Yogurt Cream

noreply@blogger.com (pastry studio) — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 16:21:00 +0000

It’s hard to ignore the stunning bright beauty of grapes. They beam like clusters of jewels on market tables everywhere, their effortless beauty urging us to make the investment. There are so many wonderful varieties to pair with artisan cheese for a little something different and wonderful.

In this recipe, I roast the grapes with a loving splash of olive oil, a bit of sugar secured with a dash of cinnamon and a pinch of sea salt. As they roast, their skins split and they become juicy and sumptuous. The olive oil doesn’t overwhelm the taste at all but rather gives the grapes a luscious mouth feel.

I serve these roasted grapes with a dollop of Greek yogurt that has been mixed with a little honey and vanilla and expanded with a little bit of cream. The result is simple and beautiful and tastes like something you’d sample on the shores of the Mediterranean as you stare out into the deep blue sea. These are clean and robust flavors that come together in about 15 minutes. Pull up a chair and nibble at this light plateful of summer.

Bench notes:
- Choose grapes that are seedless and full of flavor. I like red flames but I’m sure there are other varieties that would also be delicious.
- It might be fun to add a splash of orange flower water to the yogurt cream instead of vanilla.
- These grapes would also be delicious with a bite of your favorite cheese: blue, goat, triple cream.
- The salt is a nice contrast to the essential sweetness of the grapes.
- This would be a good dessert to serve with a nice Beaumes de Venise or Muscat, Monbazillac, Semillon or Viognier wine.

Roasted Grapes with Yogurt Cream
Makes 4 servings

Yogurt Honey Cream

1 C (8 oz) plain Greek yogurt
3 T honey, to taste
1/2 t lemon juice, to taste
1/4 t vanilla
1/2 C heavy cream

Roasted Grapes

1 lb 4 oz seedless red grapes, such as red flame
generous 1 T extra virgin olive oil
1 T sugar
pinch cinnamon
pinch sea salt

For the Yogurt Cream, whisk together the yogurt and honey.
Add the lemon juice and vanilla.
Whip the heavy cream just to a very soft peak.
Fold in the whipped cream. Chill.

For the Roasted Grapes, preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Cut the grapes into small clusters and place them in a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss with your hands to coat evenly.

Combine the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle the grapes. Sprinkle with sea salt. Place the grapes in a glass pie plate or shallow baking dish and roast in the oven for about 15 – 18 minutes, until the grape skins show signs of cracking. Plate the grapes, drizzle with their juices and serve with a dollop of Yogurt Cream.

Mendocino Coffee Cake

noreply@blogger.com (pastry studio) — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 12:59:00 +0000

If you love a piping hot cup of good coffee, somewhere along the way you’ve undoubtedly had the pleasure of enjoying a nibble or two of coffee cake, the centerpiece of cafes, coffee shops and home brunch tables in little towns and great cities throughout the world.

Part of the fun of coffee cake is due in part to its evolution, which has brought us many different versions from many different regions, ranging from the great yeasted cakes of Eastern Europe to the various joys of streusels and crumbs and bundts baked in America. Some are quite plain and others are bundled with fruit or nuts and spices. This version is based on a recipe from Margaret Fox, whose work was legend at Café Beaujolais in the stunning California coastal village of Mendocino. I’ve pared down the ingredients just a bit for simplicity. It’s an easy preparation and is especially fit for a special brunch or an afternoon coffee gathering.

For me, this is the quintessential coffee cake. Tender and moist with a flavorful and purely delicious streusel, it’s very satisfying without being overly rich. I think you’ll have a hard time resisting a second cup, if you know what I mean.

Bench notes:
- Instant espresso powder is essential to the deliciousness of the streusel, which has a haunting blend of just the right amounts of cinnamon, cocoa and espresso powder. You can find it at Italian delicatessens, gourmet food shops and some grocery stores. Medaglia D’Oro is the best. I’ve also used Ferrara. It stores indefinitely and is used in many other pastry recipes.
- When mixing cake batter, I thoroughly cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, but I don’t thoroughly mix the dry ingredients before adding the wet ingredients, instead stopping just short of completely mixed because as I continue to add the alternating ingredients, the batter comes together sufficiently. I also take it off the mixer just before it’s done to do the final blending of ingredients by hand with a rubber spatula. This helps to avoid overmixing and preserves the tenderness of the cake.
- If you like walnuts, add a few more to finish the top layer.
- Café Beaujolais has another very famous Buttermilk Cinnamon Coffee Cake with a crumb topping that I’ll be testing soon.

Mendocino Coffee Cake
Based on the “Chocolate Coffee Cake” recipe from Morning Food: Breakfasts, Brunches and More for Savoring the Best Part of the Day by Margaret S. Fox and John B. Bear
Serves 8 to 10

Streusel

1/4 C + 2 T dark brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 t cinnamon
1 T fine instant espresso powder
1 1/2 T cocoa powder
1/2 C chopped walnuts

Cake

1 1/4 C + 2 T flour
3/4 t baking powder
3/4 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
3 oz butter @ room temperature
1 1/4 t vanilla extract
3/4 C granulated sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
8 oz plain yogurt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9” springform pan.

For the streusel, combine all the ingredients and set aside.

For the cake, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 – 4 minutes. Add vanilla and mix. Scrape down the bowl. Add egg and yolk one at a time and continue to beat until mixture is light and creamy. Lower the speed and add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with yogurt in two additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.

Spread half the cake batter evenly in the prepared springform pan. Sprinkle with about 2/3 of streusel mixture, leaving a clean 1/2” border of cake batter around the edges. Top with remaining batter, smoothing it out to the edges. Finish with the remaining streusel, pressing gently into the surface.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 34 – 38 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Remove from pan and serve with a piping hot cup of strong coffee.

Roasted Peaches with Mascarpone Ice Cream

noreply@blogger.com (pastry studio) — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 12:52:00 +0000

I’m really hoping you have a bounty of fresh peaches in your area because this is a fabulous dessert. It comes from Daniel Humm, a native of Switzerland who was Executive Chef at Campton Place in San Francisco and is currently at Eleven Madison Park in New York City. He's received many awards and accolades so I decided to try his take on this seasonal dessert. Wow, am I glad I did.

Although this is not a particularly fancy or laborious preparation, the elements taken together feel like a well planned marriage. Fresh peaches are smothered in a light syrup of white wine, honey and a slight sprig of rosemary. Don’t let the addition of this herb scare you away; it’s only steeped for a few minutes and it deepens the flavor beautifully without overpowering or influencing too much. The 40 minutes of roasting really caramelizes the sauce and produces wonderfully soft fleshy fruit. The Mascarpone Ice Cream delivers a lovely and natural creamy counterpoint to the warm glow of the peaches, full of flavor without being too heavy or too rich.

If you find yourself in the company of some pretty peaches anytime soon, this is an indulgence worthy of your time and attention. It’s got a bit of a Mediterranean feel to it, so it's just the sort of dessert to enjoy al fresco as a pure and simple sunny summer luxury.

Bench notes:
- The recipe calls for 7 oz of mascarpone. The container I bought was 8 oz and I wound up using the whole amount.
- The Mascarpone Ice Cream as written was too sweet for my taste so I added 1/4 C buttermilk to the ice cream base. I thought this not only tempered the sweetness but also produced a wonderfully acidic tang that enhanced the mascarpone in the finished ice cream. If you prefer your desserts on the not-too-sweet end of the spectrum, you can do as I did or perhaps consider reducing the sugar in the ice cream to 1/2 C + 2 T. Taste the heated milk and sugar mixture and judge accordingly.
- The ice cream does take quite a bit of salt. Add a small pinch at a time and keep tasting. You'll know when it pops.
- I always chill my ice cream base overnight. This give the flavors a chance to relax and marry and ensures the mixture is very well chilled, which saves on the wear and tear of your ice cream machine.
- I used Viognier wine for the peaches but any good Sauvignon Blanc will do.
- The recipe calls for peeling the peaches. I did not.
- Put the peaches and the syrup in a baking dish that is not too large. The first time I made this in a large dish the syrup was shallow and it evaporated too quickly during the roasting process and burned. My oven does run hot, but I’d advise to check the peaches closely during that last 15 minutes of roasting. Or perhaps lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees.
- I think this dessert is best served when the peaches and the sauce are warm.
- You could definitely get more than four servings out of this if needed.
- The wine sauce for the peaches is really delicious. I’m sure I’ll use it in other applications, not necessarily always for roasting.

Roasted Peaches with Mascarpone Ice Cream
adapted from Daniel Humm in Food & Wine magazine
4 servings

Mascarpone Ice Cream

2 C whole milk
4 egg yolks
3/4 C plus 2 T sugar
1 C mascarpone (7 ounces) [I used an 8 oz container]
1/2 t fresh lemon juice
Pinch of salt
1/4 C buttermilk [my addition; see note above]

Roasted Peaches

2 C white wine, such as Viognier or Sauvignon Blanc
2 T honey
1 C water
1/4 C sugar
1 rosemary sprig
4 large ripe but firm peaches

For the ice cream, combine the milk and 3/4 C sugar in a saucepan. Heat until the sugar is dissolved and the milk is simmering.

Whisk the egg yolks with the 2 T sugar until light yellow. Slowly add the warm milk, whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from cooking. When all the milk has been added and combined, pour back into the saucepan and cook over medium low heat until the mixture thickens a bit, coats the back of a spoon and leaves a clean trail when you make a streak with your finger. Do not boil. Take off the heat immediately and pour into a clean container. Whisk in the mascarpone, lemon juice and salt to taste. Add buttermilk, if using. Cool completely. Cover and place in the refrigerator to chill completely.

Pour the chilled custard into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer the ice cream to an airtight container, press a piece of plastic wrap onto the surface, cover and freeze until firm.

To prepare the peaches, combine the white wine, honey, water and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and slow boil until the mixture is reduced by about half. Add the rosemary sprig and let stand for 10 minutes. Discard the rosemary.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Peel the peaches if desired. Halve and pit them and arrange in a baking dish small enough to just fit the peach halves. Pour the rosemary syrup on top and roast the peaches until tender, about 40 minutes, basting and turning the peaches half way through.

Scoop the Mascarpone Ice Cream into serving bowls and top with the peach halves. Spoon the warm poaching liquid over the fruit and serve right away.

Classic Italian Biscotti

noreply@blogger.com (pastry studio) — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 15:00:00 +0000

Biscotti are very traditional Italian biscuit cookies that have also found great favor in America, especially in the 90s when we saw a significant proliferation of coffee houses across the country. Since biscotti are very dry, crispy and crunchy in nature, in Italy they are invariably taken with a cappuccino or an espresso or Vin Santo. If you’ve ever found yourself lounging in the sun at an Italian caffè, you’ve undoubtedly dabbled in this ritual.

Modern biscotti originated in 13th century Tuscany and were characteristically flavored with almonds from the groves of Prato, the second largest city in the region and a leader in the slow food movement. They are made with just a few simple ingredients and baked twice to ensure extra crispness. The dough is baked in the form of a solid log and then cooled a bit to firm up. The logs are then sliced into long narrow cookie portions and toasted for about 10 minutes on each side. The result is a nice crisp biscuit full of texture and toasted almond flavor.

Biscotti made in this country are usually much sweeter, sometimes made with butter and full of all sorts of stuff like dried fruit and chocolate chips. These adaptations offer their own unique interest and fun but I most often favor the more traditional style. This recipe for Classic Italian Biscotti is one that was routinely baked at Chez Panisse. It’s full of toasted almonds and slightly flavored with orange zest and a hint of anise.

Biscotti are a wonderful ritual with your afternoon sip of coffee or evening sip of wine or as an accompaniment to gelato or ice cream. They can be stored for days, the better to sneak a sumptuous bite whenever the mood strikes.

Bench notes:
- If you have strong objections to anise seeds, they can be left out but the flavor here is fairly subtle.
- Beating the eggs and sugar to ribbon stage lightens the texture of the cookie so try not to over mix once the remaining ingredients are added.
- Lemon zest can be substituted for orange zest.
- The dough is quite wet and sticky. Lightly moisten your hands with water to make shaping the logs a bit easier.
- I use a sawing motion with a sharp serrated knife to slice the baked loaves. Slice at an angle for longer and more stylish cookies.
- Biscotti are best kept in an airtight container. They will last quite a long time.

Classic Biscotti
adapted from Chez Panisse
Makes about 3 dozen biscotti

1 1/2 C whole almonds
2 C flour
1 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
2 – 3 drops almond extract
1 C sugar
3/4 t anise seeds
2 t orange zest

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment or silpat.

Coarsely chop almonds and set aside.

Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.

In bowl of electric mixer, whisk eggs and egg yolk, almond extract and sugar until mixture thickens and holds its shape in a ribbon for a few seconds when the whisk attachment is lifted. Switch to a paddle and add dry ingredients, mixing on low just until the dough comes together. Add chopped almonds, anise and orange zest and blend thoroughly for about 10 to 15 seconds.

Lightly moisten your hands with cold water and form the dough into two logs about 3” wide and 12” long and about 3" apart. Try not to handle the dough too much.

Bake for about 25 minutes, until a light golden brown. Place the baking sheet on a wire rack. Lower oven temperature to 300 degrees.

Let biscotti logs cool for 10 minutes before handling. Slice into 1/2” pieces using a sharp serrated knife. Bake for an additional 10 minutes at the lower temperature. Turn and bake for another 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container.